CARIBBEAN: CTO to host European Marketing Forum

CTO to host European Marketing Forum 
Web Posted - Fri Nov 07 2003

Caribbean delegates to World Travel Market (WTM) 2003 in London, including 
ministers, commissioners and directors of tourism, will receive a 
comprehensive overview of the European marketplace at a key pre-WTM event 
facilitated by the Caribbean Tourism Organisation (CTO). 

The CTO European Marketing Forum, scheduled to be held on November 9, 2003, 
will address key issues facing the long haul travel sector following one of 
the most difficult trading periods ever, said Julia Hendry, CTO’s director of 
marketing for Europe in reference to the decline in travel from Europe to the 
Caribbean post September 11, 2001. 

“We have lined up some of the leading travel experts from Europe who will 
make matter-of-fact presentations on what is really happening in the European 
marketplace, making the CTO European Marketing Forum the ideal means by which 
to prepare our visiting delegations for the week ahead at World Travel 
Market,” said Hendry. 

Jeremy Skidmore, former editor of Travel Weekly and a leading travel writer 
and contributor to Travelmole will moderate the forum and will also present 
an industry overview. 

The keynote speakers are Sue Biggs, managing director of tour operator Kuoni 
and Airline Dynamics Consultancy’s Andy Hofton, a former editor of Aviation 
Economist magazine and a former technical editor of Flight International. 

Biggs will update participants on the challenges and opportunities within the 
marketplace from a tour operator perspective, while Hofton will address 
airline issues and global trends within the airline industry and their impact 
on the region. 

A panel from the CTO’s European Chapters representing the United Kingdom, 
Germany and Holland will speak on their respective marketplaces, with the 
focus on UK and European industry trends and challenges. 

The CTO European Marketing Forum will be held on Sunday, November9, 2003 from 
11 am to 2 pm at the Commonwealth Institute, Kensington High Street in 
London. During WTM, Caribbean delegations and the UK private sector are also 
expected to meet to discuss the Cricket World Cup to be held in the Caribbean 
in 2007. 

The meeting, which is being planned for Tuesday, November 11, 2003, will 
bring together for the first time ministers, commissioners and directors of 
tourism, UK airlines, tour operators, cruise companies, hotel representation 
companies and all members of the industry who will have an interest in 
getting people to the Caribbean for the event, accommodating them, moving 
them around and promoting the event, said Hendry. 

“CTO will act as a facilitator to bring all interested parties together 
around the table, to start the ball rolling,” she said. 

Over 30 Caribbean destinations, including scores of private sector 
representatives, will exhibit Caribbean culture, art, food and music at WTM, 
described as the world’s second largest tourism trade show behind ITB in 
Berlin. As it has done in previous years, the CTO will oversee the 
construction, décor and co-ordination of a Caribbean Village at WTM, which 
has attracted a record 189 countries this year. 



SOURCE: Barbados Advocate